Big, tough year

FASANOC BRACES FOR CHALLENGE

THE New Year, starting today, is expected to be a challenging one for Fiji.

As Fijians across the world herald in 2022, our sporting fraternity is anticipating the demands and expectations of the next 12 months.

Fiji Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) chief executive officer Lorraine Mar said it would be a “big and tough sporting year.”

She said Fiji needed to prepare well to reap the rewards she expected.

“If we are not prepared to that level, then obviously our expectations would not be met,” Mar said.

Major tournaments this year include the Rugby World Cup Sevens from September 9-11 in South Africa, Rugby League World Cup from October 15 - November 19 in England, Mini Pacific Games (MPG) in Saipan, North Mariana Islands from June 17-25, Commonwealth Games (CG) in Birmingham from July 28-August 8 and women’s Rugby World Cup from October 8 -November 12 in New Zealand.

Mar expects the CG and MPG to be expensive outings for Team Fiji coming out of 2021 after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is going to be an expensive exercise because every event is a high cost.

“At every games there is expectation of the returns of investment towards those games.”

On the table now, Mar said, was to select the best teams to represent Fiji.

“We will understand if national federations felt that they were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and could not prepare their athletes well.

“We will respect any decision from them with less than six months left to the games.”

Mar, in wishing Fijian athletes the best for the year, said morale was high in Fijian sports producing winning results this year.

Meanwhile, The Fiji Times wishes everyone a happy New Year.